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Project Resistance (Beta)

Written by Ryan Noble

Studio: Capcom
Rating: Mature
Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC.
Release date: Mid-to-late 2020

Project Resistance is the latest reveal from Capcom, set in the world of Resident Evil. In this asymmetric online multiplayer that no-one saw coming, four Survivors try to escape levels filled by bio-experiments gone wrong while another player, the Mastermind, must kill them off by placing traps and enemies to catch them before they reach the end of the level.

So, with an open mind and a baseball bat in my hand, I joined the Project Resistance Beta…

How did it feel?

Honestly, I’m always shocked by how good it feels to be back in the world of Resident Evil. Despite a number of… bad experiments, shall we say… Capcom’s creation continues to be one of my favourite settings and I’ll give anything a chance if I can go back to it.

Die-hard Resident Evil fans will probably feel the same; happy to be back in the shadowed streets and immoral laboratories of Umbrella, surrounded by a beautiful, biting, crawling mess. But, when it gets down to it, what does all that mean for the gameplay?

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What did I like?

• It has that RE vibe: Everything feels like the franchise we’ve all fallen in love with. Familiar locations like Racoon City’s downtown streets, a police station, and Umbrella laboratories set the tone, along with an ever-present time counter, as we’ve seen in more than a few RE games. As it does, signalling doom, the music ramps up and captures the tense mood perfectly.

• Visually gorgeous: Nothing more needs be said. From the opening cinematic to the settings, characters, and franchise’s best nightmares, everything looks great.

• Controls felt like coming home: The controls are considerately mapped in the same way as most RE games, making me feel comfortable and in control from the get-go.

• The Tyrant: Stomping around as the infamous Tyrant is incredibly fun and allows you, as the Mastermind, to step into the action in a very immediate way. As the Survivor, you do not want to see this silver SOB on the way.

What could be better?

• Needs polish before release: Like most of Capcom’s forays into horror-action combinations, things feel a little unpolished. Attacks don’t feel all that solid, if they land at all, and there’s no real sense of dread, only a sense of urgency.

• Pace-breaking moments: Certain actions, like discarding items in your inventory to buy something new or leaving the action to buy more ammo really slow things down. This might be intentional, building the tension you feel as you watch the countdown continue its march towards 0, but I just find it grating to leave the fight.

• Game-breaking bug: I’m assuming this issue will be long-gone by release, but I was grabbed as my team of Survivors moved into a new area and I ended up stuck between two areas. I had to quit, close the application, and start up again to fix it.

• No ability to mark danger: Sadly, only one character, Valerie, can mark threats. However, to me, this feels like a basic, game-improving skill, especially for those players without a headset who’d like to communicate something they’ve seen.

• The Tyrant: As the Tyrant, you feel unstoppable. As the Survivors, you feel… stopped. He can mow down Survivors with ease, and even with a shotgun blast to the face, he didn’t flinch. He should strike fear into players, as he does so well in Resident Evil 2, but right now it feels like ‘Game Over’ when the trench-coated Tyrant appears.

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Should you get Project Resistance?

Right now, I don’t feel equipped to answer that question… All I can say is that Project Resistance, if it stays by that name, seems fun and I want to play more. For the time being, that’s enough for me…

One thing that is clear from the beta, though; having a headset or a team of friends might be make-or-break for your opinion of the game. Not being able to warn fellow Survivors of danger or plan where we should go next really tore a chunk out of the game’s teamwork, something that seems crucial for any chance of survival.

Can I already see how Project Resistance still may not be perfect when it releases? Sure.

But, if it provides a fun multiplayer experience in a brutal and beloved universe, maybe that’s enough. Capcom are often slated for trying to merge horror with action, and while that’s certainly the case here, at least they’re using a unique concept to do so.

Stick around for more news of Project Resistance before its planned release in 2020. And for more information on the announcement and finer details of Project Resistance, read our news.

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